Bloom or mold?

[krs]

Received this box today from overseas, what do you guys think? mold? The seller thinks its bloom.

[krs]

heres pic

[Troels]

My telepatic abilities tells me its all good :-)

Edit: pic came as i typed

As long as theres no blue spots and such and no mold on the foot most people seems to take it fairly easy

[krs]

If it is bloom, I have never seen that much before. Also they do have a strong damp musky smell that I get with mold.

[LordAnubis]

I think that is a bit of mold but the dont worry yourself kind. as said, as long as it's not in the foot it's ok. Just wipe them off (if you're going to store in the box wipe the inside of the box too) and light 'er up.

[Hash]

They look good do not worry.

[krs]

Thats what I have done in the past (just wipe it off and forget), even though its not that bad the seller still thinks its bloom.

[CaptainQuintero]

It's mould but harmless mould, probably caused by the travel going from different climates quickly, just brush it off and they will be fine

The only bad thing is the seller trying to say it's plume :s

If you're not happy and it's reasonable for you to do then get an exchange or refund. You're still the customer of an expensive purchase at the end of the day.

[Ginseng]

Received this box today from overseas, what do you guys think? mold? The seller thinks its bloom.

There are several issues at play here.

1. If you've shared this image with your seller and he still thinks it's mold and hasn't explained to you how he made the judgment. (generally, don't hold your breath)
   
2. If it is agreed to be mold and/or represents a state of product with which you are dissatisfied, the course of action he has proposed.
   
3. Whether the mold is present anywhere other than the wrapper surface alone.
   
4. Whether the cigars and/or dressed box have any trace of mustiness or moldy paper odor.
   
5. Whether the mold is any color other than white.
   

If the answers to points 3, 4, 5 are all "no" then I have accepted the box irrespective of the other points.

Wilkey

[laficion]

They look good to me .

[Smallclub]

The seller thinks its bloom.

Another great professional…

It's mold, of course; just wipe it up…

[krs]

I did send him the same image as I posted here.

There is a tiny bit on one of the feet but doesn't really show up on camera, so there's another sign.

The box and paper also have that moldy odour and the bottom layer of cigars stuck to the paper but not bad enough to rip the wrapper.

It all seems to be white mold, no blue.

Another good point you made was mold can grow on the box but bloom wont, there was a small amount.

Cheers.

Thats what I have done in the past (just wipe it off and forget),

There are several issues at play here.

1. If you've shared this image with your seller and he still thinks it's mold and hasn't explained to you how he made the judgment. (generally, don't hold your breath)
   
2. If it is agreed to be mold and/or represents a state of product with which you are dissatisfied, the course of action he has proposed.
   
3. Whether the mold is present anywhere other than the wrapper surface alone.
   
4. Whether the cigars and/or dressed box have any trace of mustiness or moldy paper odor.
   
5. Whether the mold is any color other than white.
   

If the answers to points 3, 4, 5 are all "no" then I have accepted the box irrespective of the other points.

Wilkey

[krs]

I'm really hoping to get a refund. apart from the crazy amount of tax I had to pay.

It's mould but harmless mould, probably caused by the travel going from different climates quickly, just brush it off and they will be fine

The only bad thing is the seller trying to say it's plume :s

If you're not happy and it's reasonable for you to do then get an exchange or refund. You're still the customer of an expensive purchase at the end of the day.

[CaptainQuintero]

If they smell mouldy then imo push for the refund or swap

[Ginseng]

The box and paper also have that moldy odour and the bottom layer of cigars stuck to the paper but not bad enough to rip the wrapper.

I would send that box back.

A musty odour can never be successfully cleared from packaging or cigars without irreparably changing/damaging either. While a cigar that has a moldy scent might smoke acceptably, The defect will always be on the back of your mind.

While the primary function of the retailer-buyer relationship is clearly purchase satisfaction, peace of mind from relationship and respect runs a close second. The retailer's role is to deliver quality goods. The buyer's role is to bring some modicum of knowledge to the transaction. The road rolls both ways and posting up here at FOH is a good way to build up your side of the equation.

Wilkey

[krs]

really hoping I wont have to take them back.

[jimbo1]

mold......my question is, if you do a return, would you have to pay taxes again on the new box? and if u do a refund, would u get back the taxes you paid? not sure how that works, just something to think about, as you can just wipe off the mold, but the musty aroma woukd concern me as well.

[Fuzz]

I don't think any seller would refund the tax component, that is the buyer's risk. There shouldn't be any tax charged to send the box out of the country.

I'd push for the refund, as sending them back is not practical.

[GoJohnnyGo]

Obviously, you've already decided that it's mold and I hope you are able to resolve the issue to your satisfaction. My general school of thought is that if you have to ask you already know what it is. I've only got one cigar with plume on it so my experience first hand is very limited but from what I've seen there is no way to mistake the real deal for mold.

[Dozerhead]

I've seen literally dozens of these types of threads over the years and 99% of the time it is mold. As mentioned earlier in the thread it is white mold, which is generally harmless and can be easily wiped off. If there is a moldy smell to the cigar or the box or mold on the foot of the cigars, then I would return them. Plume or bloom will present as tiny white crystals on a cigar. What always gets me is when I vendor tells you it is plume when it is blatantly mold. To each there own, but I would never purchase again from a vendor that sold me moldy cigars while trying to pass it off as plume. Either they are woefully ignorant of the product they are selling or they are unscrupulous liars. Caveat Emptor.

I know sometime moldy boxes, especially when completely sealed, can inadvertantly get sold, but any reputable vendor would make good on the purchase immediately, imo.

[krs]

yea there's no way I can get a refund on the tax I paied to get it into the country, thats out of there hands. I have no idea if theres a duty to pay if I send them back, I want to avoid sending them back if I can.

[jimbo1]

well, if your stuck w/ them, then clean them, toss the box and use another, but don't put them in w/ other cigars, keep them quaratined for a while so it doesn't spread if there's another mold breakout and the musty smell doesn't spread. Personally I would keep a close eye on them, and let them age (5 plus years), praying that the mold and smell go away.....best of luck, sorry for the situation

[CaptainQuintero]

Remember mould needs certain conditions to grow, if your humi doesn't have them then no new mould should grow, just keep them separate, give them a good clean and smoke them sooner rather than later

[kevfi]

Wipe - Smoke - Repeat!!!

A bit of mold is nothing to worry about!!! I would hesitate from buying from the vendor again. Wipe them all down and keep an eye on them. Just my 2 cents.

[Ginseng]

Wipe - Smoke - Repeat!!!

A bit of mold is nothing to worry about!!! I would hesitate from buying from the vendor again. Wipe them all down and keep an eye on them. Just my 2 cents.

Not in this case, I'm afraid. The OP stated that the box is musty and the cigars stuck to the paper liner. This suggests sufficient dampness at some point to replasticize the label glue or create sticky contact between cigars and paper.

I do agree that if the cigars and box smell fresh and clean and there are no signs of liquid water (i.e., dried water spots on the dressed box wrapping) what you advise is a perfectly fine approach.

Wilkey